Low Milk Supply

Hello,
I have a 7 month old and I am also on the minipill. It has never affected my supply. But sometimes I feel like I am not producing enough. I just keep on feeding her and everntually it comes back. The more you feed her the more it will come in. I also drink a dark beer sometimes and that seems to help. I don't know if you drink beer or not. I hope it works out for you.
G.

Have you tried drinking Stilltee? That's what the midwifes at the German hospital suggested to me when my milk wasn't keeping up with my daughter's appetite. It has a pretty good flavor, isn't very expensive, and can be found in the section of the Real or Kaufland where the babyfood is found.
Good luck :)

With all four of my children, I have noticed that my breasts do not feel as full at around the 4 - 6 month point. At first I thought that I was making less milk, but all of my babies have thrived (always gaining and never losing weight). I now think that is the point when your body figures out that you don't need a gallon of milk to feed a newborn each time.

My first baby was born in a German hospital. They provided me with a tea (I believe Fennel) to promote lactation. I am sure that you can ask at an apotheke and they will be happy to help!

If you want to order teas on the internet (drugstore.com for expample), you can search for one called Mother's Milk by Traditional Medicinals. Earth Mama Angel Baby also makes a good tea to promote lactation (can't remember the exact name), but it is a loose tea and that is even more work for you. Earth Mama Angel Baby also makes a product called Nipple Butter that is by far, in my experienced opinion, the BEST product on the market for sore, overworked nipples (which you may experience if your baby is having a growth spurt and nursing more frequently).

Also, be sure that you are relaxing while nursing. Check your position, the postition of baby, etc. Stay quiet and comfortable!

I will also add .. I have never been able to produce a lot of milk while pumping. And I have tried four different pumps. Babies just do a better job of getting the milk out!

GOOD LUCK.

GLERNER

I understand what you are going through. I have a 17 month old who I am still nursing and I had the worst time keeping my milk supply up. I went to my doctor about it because I am so stuck on giving my baby the best I can. The doctor prescribed me Reglan which increases your milk supply. I had to play with the dosage a little because it would make me sleepy but once I got it to the right amount it worked great:) I was on it for almost 8 months. It took my milk supply from barely two ounces from both breasts to over eight. It's wonderful. There are supposedly side effects from the drug but I honestly only experienced sleepiness. You should definately talk to you dr. and see if they think it would be a good option for you. You should talk to your dr. also about some of the herbal supplements you can take; there are side effects to some of those too. I hope this helps. Good luck!!

First of all, it's wonderful that you are giving your baby the best food on earth from momma!! Not everyone can say that!

Just nurse on demand as much as you son wants.
Sounds like a growth spurt.
The more you nurse, you more milk you make.
DO NOT supplement- your milk supply will go down more.
Don't let the breast pump tell you how much milk you are making! Count the wet diapers instead!
DO NOT give him any solids yet- his little tummy in not ready for it yet.
Drink water and enjoy this time with your little angel. It goes quickly.
(I have breastfed 2 children and have done so continuously for almost 4 years)

Try a milk thistle vitamin! These are wonderful for increasing the supply, and eat a good diet!

If he is still gaining weight and has wet diapers I wouldn't worry about it. Stop drinking coffee, sodas, or other caffeinated drinks. Chocolate also has some sort of cafeeine it I heard. Get plenty of rest , keep drinking water.
Then you can get the " WELEDA STILLTEE" in the German drugstore or maybe Apotheke. It has fenugreek in it which helps produce more milk.
I can also recommend you to contact the lactation consultant in Landstuhl,Donna Ellis. She has helped MANY moms and she is just full of information!
Your baby also just may needmore at this time that is why he nurses so much. If wet diapers are there don't worry.
No need to go to formula, just hang in there:)
Contact me if you need anything else.

Hi! I went through the same thing when my son went on a nursing "strike", I was so afraid that I was not going to be able to keep breastfeeding. I kept doing the same things I had done before...drinking lots of water, reducing stress, eating healthy, massaging the breast just like the baby would do when I pumped and in the shower, and the other thing that helped was an herbal suplement called Fenugreek. It is an excellent herb to help increase milk supply. It is an expectorant and has no side effects other than causing your milk to have a maple syrup scent. Just be patient and keep trying....my son went back feeding after about a month. I hope that this helps.

Your son is increasing your milk supply by frequent eating. This is natural. He is probably going through a growth spurt.Do not supplement with formula or baby food. Let the baby do his work to increase your supply by eating. DO NOT USE THE PUMP TO ASSESS YOUR MILK SUPPLY! Your baby can get much more out of you than a pump. Pumping takes practice. Many people can't get much milk with the pump, but their babies can get the milk.

Also, you do not need to feel engorged to have adequate milk supply. You are at the point where your body is adjusting to your baby. The time of the greatest milk production is DURING nursing, so you don't need to let your breasts "fill up" before you feed your baby. Just put baby to breast when he is hungry and he will get milk.

Check out this link from Kelly Mom:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/low-supply.html

The biggest indicator of if you have enough milk is if you are getting out put from the baby: wet and dirty diapers and if the baby is gaining weight. But, both of these can be tricky as well. Some babies just don't poop as often as others. You should be getting a good number of wet diapers, though. Also, on the weight, formula fed babies are often fatter than breastfed babies. This does not mean they are healthier. You should see a steady weight gain, but it does slow after the first few months. Your baby should not be losing weight, though.

If there is a lactation consultant around or a La Leche League group, they can provide in-person reassurance.

Hang in there! Nursing is great, especially as the child gets older. You are so much more mobile and flexible, especially if you learn to nurse your baby in a carrier like the Ergo http://www.ergobaby.com
or some sort of sling or wrap. If your baby is fussing at the grocery store, you put him in the carrier and nurse. Most people will just think he is sleeping. I've nursed while hiking up a mountain in the Egyptian desert, while switching terminals during international travel and everywhere in between.

Hi C., You may have already received a lot of advice, but I still wanted to comment! I am a Breastfeeding Educator at a non-profit local Breastfeeding Center. We have a lot of moms that come in or call regarding their supply.
Here are a few things that could possibly decrease your supply: peppermint, sage, parsley, birth control and pseudaphedrine. So if you have a cold, it's best not to take any over the counter meds that include pseudaphedrine (such as Sudafed).
Some foods that could increase your supply are: oatmeal, brown rice, barley and dark green veggies. There are also some galactagogues (herbs) that help increase your supply. They would probably be available at your local health food store. The most popular are Fenugreek and More Milk Special
Blend. Fenugreek is in capsule form and More Milk is a liquid. You would notice an increase in supply within 24-72 hours.
Another aspect to consider is how frequently you are removing milk. Are you staying at home with your son or pumping while at work? Your son may be going through a growth spurt, common at 4 months, and "cluster feeding". This is your baby's way of communicating with your body that you need to make more milk. When you pump and only get 1 oz. total - what kind of pump are you using? Also keep in mind that your pump is never as efficient as your baby!
Okay, I have tons more info for you if you want it! I should have checked other replies before I started because maybe you've already read all of this! Anyway, please e-mail me if you would like more information. At the Breastfeeding Center that I work at part-time we have hand-outs that I could mail to you re. milk supply. We could also ship the galactagogues if you wanted to try those.
Oh, and skin to skin contact with your baby can help, too.
Good luck and keep up the GREAT work!
M.

This may sound crazy but I drank 1 root beer a day while BF my daughter and did so for 12 mths. You've been given alot of great advice, I hope all is going well for you!

I am not a lactation consultant but I breastfed 2 children (one till 13 months other 17 months) and I heard a lot in the that sector. By feeding every 2 hours or less your child lets your body know that he has a higher demand now. So just give him the opportunity and feed him whenever he needs it. If you follow the feeding on demand thing your body will eventually up the production automatically and you will go to longer spans inbetween again. I know it's annoying at times but then again this time passes so fast--at least when you look back (mine are now 3 and 7).
Another thought: I started feeding my children solids at 4 months upon the suggestion of my first pediatrition (we don't deal with allergies though in our family so it was ok for us). If you don't have allergies issues you can try to offer him/her rice cerial. You prepare 1 Tbsp only and then try to spoon with baby spoon into mouth. If his tonge pushes the food out, stop right then as he still has a reflex that nature has provided him with. Wait another one or two weeks and see if he has lost the reflex and actually swallows. My first child was so into food already at 4 months that he need more than the 1 Tbsp that the pediatrition suggested and litterally motioned for more the first time we offered the solids.
Good Luck!

Hi C. - I am a mother of four, all breast fed, currently living in the UK. It's hard to say what the issue is from what you have discribed. Is your baby getting enough nourishment or do you feel the baby is still hungry and not getting enough? Are you feeding the baby on demand? Since your baby has gone from nursing every 4-5 hrs to every 2-3 hrs, it is normal that your body will need to readjust to the new demands and it will feel like you are not producing enough. Are the baby's stools still yellow and curdy or have they changed too. You can go to a website called: www.breastingfeeding123.com and get some good info on how your breast produce milk, what to do if you think you're low, etc. My advice is that you continue drinking alot of fluids. At least one tall glass of water each time you nurse (my midwife always told me) and nurse your infant on demand, whenever hungry. Sometimes infants go through a growth spurt and need more, and sometimes they don't feel well and nurse very little, and you will feel engorged (pumping would help with that). I would encourage you to continue nursing, as you are giving the baby the best possible nourishment, as well as developing a very special bond with your baby. If on the other hand, the baby is not getting enough, and is loosing weight, a trip to the doctor would be advisable. If there's a local La Leche League group within your military community, you would be supported by like minded Mom's with lots of experience in breastfeeding. Good luck!

Don`t take the stress and get as much rest as you can..
Sleep when your baby sleeps!!
Drink lots of water
If you are really worried, you can get a Natural tea called Healthy Nursing Tea by secrets of tea. It helps to increase your milk supply.
Good Luck!

Go to a german Pharmacy (Apotheke) and see if they have some teas you can drink, or possibly some homeapathic stuff for that! might cost a little but should work!
Where in Schweinfurt do you live? We just moved here from Darmstadt!
M.

I am breastfeeding a one year old and breast fed my twins (suplemented with formula) until they were 9 months.

My friend formulates feeds for animals and well there is a reason research is done on animals before things are tested on humans....we have a lot in common with animals.

She recommends oats, hay and barley for lactating animals toincrease milk supply. That makes sense because oat granola bars helped me and so did an ocassional beer. I would eat Nature valley bars for breakfast and sometimes I would have a beer at bed time after I nursed and put my girls to sleep.

Doing that and drinking lots of water helped more than anything. I tried fenugreek but don't know how much it helped. Your doctor can prescribe reglan to increase milk supply if it becomes necessary.

Hello C.,

I just read your question and concern. I hope you've already solved your problem, but in case you haven't been able to see progress, I'm thinking that you should schedule an appointment or just show up at the nearest maternity ward and ask to speak with a 'lactation' consultant. I was having the same problem the first month, and as soon as a lactation consultant observed me feeding, she realized that my baby just wasn't latching on properly. What a difference that made!
You stated your baby used to nurse every 4-5 hours, and now needed to nurse more frequently. The more the baby nurses, the more milk supply you should have. Maybe your body just needs time to adjust and make the change. You didn't state whether your baby was getting enough or was crying out of frustration with insuffient milk.
Hope you can solve this soon...good luck. Don't give up. My mom, husband and friends tried to discourage me and advised to just switch to formula. But I never caved in and have never regretted it! M.

There are several herbal supplements you can take to increase supply. The best one is Fenugreek, along with Milk Thistle. There are also prescription medications that your doctor can prescribe.

you got a lot of great advice already.

I would say try to eat something with oatmeal in it 1-2 times a day (cookies, granola bars, oatmeal at breakfast...etc.)
The Mother's Milk Tea works wonders...heard the German version is better then that too.
Some ladies will swear by drinking a beer in the evenings after the last "big" nurse for the night
Also take inventory of what medicines you are taking (check Kelly's) and what foods you are eating.

I would definitely not use the pump to gauge how much milk you are making...pumping is a fine art with in itself. You have to be totally relaxed and chilled if you don't do it all the time. If you are wanting to pump maybe do it when you are watching a relaxing show and not concentrating on how much you are producing.

I nursed my first for 9 months using supplementing (never could break the vicious cycle that started in NICU). Nursed my second for a little over 3 years and my third is going to be 2 next month. I have been nursing non-stop for over 3.5 years now.

As long as the baby isn't frustrated and seems satisfied with no real change in wet/dirty diaper ratio...I would say you are probably doing ok. If you nurse on demand he will be fine, just don't worry about the clock...he'll let you know when he is hungry. Plus your milk changes as he grows so he is probably draining your breasts more efficiently now and getting awesome nutrition to boot!

You're doing a great job!

The same thing happened to me. I took the Mini-pill too. They told me my milk would stay the same and it didn't. I never got my supply back up. You can try Mother's Milk Tea, Fenugreek suppliments, or ask your doctor to prescribe you Reglan(which does work but, some don't want you to take if for more than like a week. I gave up and stopped at 5 months with my daughter out of total frustration. I know how you feel. I would say just try some of the alternatives but, if it doesn't work don't beat yourself up for it. I have talked to so MANY mother's who had the same problem.

You said he's eating more often, maybe your milk hasn't caught up to his demand yet. Try to make sure that your getting enough non-caffeinated liquids and eating as best you can with sleep deprivation and a baby who probably always needs something. That's all I can suggest. Try not to let yourself get to stressed, because that could hurt rather than help.

Hi there, C. - I'm Shron from Baumholder. Have you tried the Breastfeeding support line through the military? I know they have feers trained as consultants who can meet with you. I have seen the posters. I remember calling a line like that as well as a nurse-friend when I had a similar question. I don't have the answer but here is my gut: Your baby is probably going through a growth spurt. If your baby is growing, don't worry: he is getting enough. Pumping to kick up the supply is fine....don't worry about the amount (BTW, do you have a mechanized breast pump or a hand pump? If you don't have a mechanized kind like Medella, one may be available for loan through the military. They are much more efficient than the hand pumps). Breastfed babies usually eat every 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Formula fed babies eat about every 3 or 4 hours. The rates differ because the breast milk is easy for the baby to digest and the formula is harder so takes longer. Your baby is now eating at the "average" rate for breastfed babies, so this is not an indication something is wrong or that you have a low milk supply. It'[s more likely a sign of growth spurt. There are some good books out there about breastfeeding - read and refered to some back in the day, but can't remember the titles - search the internet and you'll find some. There is a mother and daughter who have both written on the subject. Again, check out that advice line and reassure yourself, but don't assume something is wrong. I commend you for breastfeeding and hanging in there! S. Reed

If you can find a GNC or another company that sells supplements, Fenugreek is amazing! It will surely increase your milk supply, but be careful to follow the instructions carefully or you may produce too much! You can also try the tea if you can find it, but I would definitely try the supplements as they are much more concentrated. Let me know how it works for you. :)

I had that same problem, go to the Apotheke (SP) the german pharmacy or any big German grocery store like REWA or Wasgau and ask for tea for Mother's Milk, I think it is called Fennel Tea. It really, really, works. It taste bitter but it works, you can add a little sugar to make it taste better. Let me know if you can't find any and I can send you some MPS, it only cost about 2-3.50 Euro.

Are there any breastfeeding support groups in your area?
I had my son at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and I joined a great group of ladies in a breastfeeding support group at Brook Army Medical Center. We met every Friday under the direction of a pediatriciian who would weigh our babies to make sure they were growing properly and getting enough nutrition and she would tackle any questions we had if they were about breastfeeding or not. I also had a problem with pumping milk I was lucky to get two onces out of both breast from the begining and because of this I supplimented with formula for feedings this turned out to be a wonderful thing because I would hear so many stories of how other moms could not get their babies to take bottles or that they could not wein wether it was the baby or them. So I feel like there is nothing wrong with supplementing with formula because it allowed my husband and younger son who was 6 or 7 at the time to bond with the baby at feeding time it also allowed me the break to run to the mall without worrying about having to take baby with me everytime or pumping milk for reserve and for my husband to take over on the weekends for those nightime feedings! We would only supplement maybe one or two feedings a day with the formula bottle if needed, I usually tried to have my husband do at least one feeding when he got home for work this was not everyday though some days he only nursed. I had no trouble switching from the breast/bottle to the cup or weining him either! So my point is relax the milk is there and if your son is feeding and growing fine then it is probably ok now if your milk stops then there is a problem and see your doctor. I tried taking some sort of over the counter lactation vitamin that a friend recommended but it did nothing for me.

do you take any other medications? sometimes decongestants can decrease your supply. here is a nursing website you may find helpful...it covers just about everything!
www.kellymom.com
you could try talking to your ob about medications to up your supply. a friend of mine just went on reglan. they are all prescription drugs though so i don't know much about them.
or you could try herbs. i'm still nursing my 1 year old & i take fenugreek. you can find more info about that on the website. if you want to try some herbs but can't find them there, here is another website that ships APO-
www.puritan.com
i've used them & they are great!
good luck to you!

the mini-pill can def. affect milk supply, no matter what your doc told you, which is why I stayed off it until 8 months pp or so. Since you quit that and are still noticing your baby wanting to nurse a lot, I bet he's going through a growth spurt! I remember that right around 4 months, my son seemed to want to nurse all.the.time. and it drove me crazy, until my milk kind of came in again and he went back to eating on his normal schedule. Hang in there, don't give up, trust your body and know that everything will most likely even out before you know it and you'll both benefit from having nursed. =)

about me:I went on to nurse my son exclusively until he was a year old, and then part-time until he weaned at 16 months, and plan to do something similar with baby #2 (due in 2 months).

ps: one more thing: try eating oatmeal! It worked wonders within hours for me, whether I was looking for a supply increase or not ;-)